(1) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a photosensitive material processing apparatus which allows easy attachment of a magazine accommodating a long roll of photosensitive material therein to the apparatus main body, and in particular a photosensitive material processing apparatus applicable to photographic printers, printer processors, etc.
(2) Description of the Prior Art
Photosensitive material processing apparatuses such as a printer processor are called mini-labs and are found in photo processing shops and the like. This printer processor integrally includes a printer portion for enlarging images recorded on a negative film to a selected predetermined size, exposing and printing the images onto printing paper and a developing processor portion for continuously conveying the printing paper having images exposed and developed thereon. Accordingly, this printer processor, by merely setting a long roll of printing paper into the printer processor, allows the printer portion and processor portion to automatically convey and process the printing paper thereby providing photographic prints.
In a printer processor of this type, the printing paper is successively drawn out from a magazine which accommodates the printing paper in roll-form and with light blocked out therefrom every time exposure and printing is carried out in the printer portion. The printing paper thus drawn out from the magazine is nipped and conveyed by conveying rollers and stopped each time an image is to be exposed and printed thereon. The printing paper is then subjected in the processor portion to further processing such as development processing, bleach-fixing processing and rinse processing. Thereafter drying processing is carried out.
In a conventional printer processor of this type, the printing paper wound onto a reel is processed while being conveyed from the inside of the magazine by conveying rollers. Therefore, the leading end of the printing paper must be nipped by the conveying rollers after the attachment of the magazine to the apparatus main body.
It is also possible that the leading end of the printing paper could be nipped between the conveying rollers in advance of the attachment of the magazine. Thereafter the paper can be conveyed by the rotation of the conveying rollers. In this case, however, the printing paper could be inserted improperly into the nip portion between the conveying rollers. As a result, the printing paper might be conveyed in a zig-zag manner or be bent.
In order to process the printing paper properly and obtain images of high quality, the printing paper must be conveyed appropriately by preventing the paper from advancing in a zig-zag manner or being bent inside the printer processor. To achieve this, it is necessary to position the magazine with high precision relative to the printer processor. It is also necessary to secure the magazine so as to maintain the posture thus positioned.
On the other hand, if the reel races in the magazine before the attachment of the magazine to the printer processor, the leading end of the printing paper might be pulled into the inside of the magazine or be excessively ejected out therefrom. Accordingly, in order to prevent the pulling-in or ejecting-out of the printing paper due to the spinning of the reel, in the conventional apparatus a shutter capable of opening and closing was provided at an opening portion from which the printing paper is to be drawn out. This shutter is adapted to nip the printing paper before the attachment of the magazine to the printer processor, and open when the magazine is attached so as to allow the printing paper to be conveyed.
In the prior art, each action, i.e., the nipping action of the conveying rollers, the securing action of the magazine and the opening and closing operation of the shutter is carried out separately when the magazine is attached to the printer processor. This requires a lot of laborious handling.